MINNESOTA
The Catholic Spirit
July 2, 2014
Father Joseph Gallatin has resigned as pastor of St. Peter in Mendota after a file review led Archbishop John Nienstedt to restrict his ministry.
Father Gallatin had been on a leave of absence since last December after his file was referred again to the Clergy Review Board because of a boundary violation involving a teenage male in 1998. At that time, the board reviewed the incident and concluded Father Gallatin required evaluation, therapy and monitoring. According to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, he has actively participated in all requirements since that incident, and there have been no other allegations of inappropriate behavior with a minor against him.
Since late 2013, the archdiocese has been reviewing the files of all clergy who have served or are serving in its 12-county area. The Clergy Review Board was asked to revisit the 1998 allegation against Father Gallatin as part of the ongoing review.
In a June 22 statement posted at archspm.org, the archdiocese said that while the board examined the incident over the course of several months and determined that the act did not violate the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, it still recommended he remain in the monitoring program and work in ministry that doesn’t involve minors.
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